Transcutaneous needles and catheters, once inserted into a patient's organs or vessels, must be kept in place for considerable lengths of time, sometimes for days consecutively. In present practice, this is done by suturing the implant to the skin or applying a tape, or like adhesive strip or film, to the skin on both sides of the needle. The tape or adhesive strip is passed over the needle and keeps it tight against the skin. This way of holding these transcutaneous implants in place is awkward and not effective and sometimes very disturbing to the patient, particularly if it used for many hours or even days consecutively. In many cases, it may actually be painful to the patient or even cause irritation and ulceration and not be effective in stabilizing the implant and invasive stitching of the implant to the skin may be needed.
Additionally, the opening created by the insertion of the transcutaneous implant such as a needle into the patient's skin may permit the entrance of microbes (contamination) and infection in general. The adhesive tape or film may create a moist, occlusive microenvironment that promotes the onset and propagation of such an infection.
It should be understood that while reference is made to transcutaneous needles, in particular to infusion needles, and while this is the most typical application of the invention, the invention can be applied to holding in place needles, catheters, tubes, wires, etc., that are transcutaneous, e.g. infusion needles, catheters, tubes, soprapubic catheters, electrical leads (such as pacemaker), spinal and gastrotomy catheters and tubes, etc., and in general any implant, and this extension of the invention should be understood as implicitly repeated every time that a reference is made to the use of the invention for holding transcutaneous implants or infusion needles in place.
It is therefore a purpose of this invention to provide means for holding an infusion needle in place that are more efficient, comfortable and easier to apply than those known in the art.
It is another purpose of this invention to provide such means that seal the opening created by the insertion of the needle into the patient's skin and prevents infection.
It is a further purpose of this invention to provide a novel use for known chemical compounds.
It is a still further purpose of the invention to provide a novel use for known chemical compounds which consists in applying them to retain infusion needles in place in a patient's veins and sealing the opening created by the insertion of the needle.
It is a still further purpose of this invention to provide means for holding infusion needles in place that consist in the use of chemical substances which are available on the market and intended for other uses.
It is a still further purpose of this invention to provide means for effectively holding infusion needles in place that is completely painless and non-irritating to the patient.